March 31, 2012

Chris told me he felt healthy eating tonight's dinner, which makes sense as it did contain a lot of vegetables. Even better, we both really liked this new recipe which came from the May 2011 issue of Family Circle.

I was a little apprehensive as I sliced two large onions, and 15 minutes later ended up with 3 inches of onions in my 8-quart pot. Surprisingly, the amount of onion was just right.

I like recipes that don't require constant stirring or supervision, and this recipe fits those requirements. I was able to wash all of the prep dishes while dinner simmered, so all that was left on the counter was wine, two plates, and spinach (which is added at the end).

By the way, I highly recommend the Caves du Fournalet: Cotes du Rhone from Trader Joe's, which is a bargain at $5.99.

Today was my second time making tzatziki and the Cooking Light recipe I followed was much better than the previous recipe I used. In fact, I didn't think I liked tzatziki after making it the first time, so I'm happy I tried it again.

The April 2012 issue of Cooking Light says tzatziki is great with kebabs, crudités and baked pita chips. I had mine with falafels from the freezer section at Trader Joe's, combined with lettuce inside pita bread. Yet another quick, favorite meal from TJ's.

Tzatziki is easy to make, and the falafels from Trader Joe's are quick to heat. The package states that microwaving is the preferred heating method, and 3 pieces heat in just 1 1/2 minutes.

My lunch today came together in just 5 minutes, which included heating my frozen pita in the oven. I typically toast my pitas, but the 7" size is too big for my toaster and the smaller pita size doesn't work nearly as well for the size of the falafels.

The original recipe calls for fresh dill which I bet tastes great, but I used dried and it was still really good. I've also read that you should refrigerate tzatziki for a couple hours before using it to allow the flavors to develop, but my lunch plan didn't allow for that, and it was still very tasty.

Tzatziki

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: N/A

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Ingredients (4 servings)

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup grated cucumber

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions

In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients until combined.

If time allows, place in refrigerator for two hours before serving so flavors can blend.

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days, draining off water each time you use it.

March 18, 2012

A few months ago I made ravioli for the first time, and I immediately wanted to puchase a pasta machine. I researched reviews on Amazon and decided on the Marcato Atlas Pasta Maker. I watched the price changes on Camel, Camel, Camel and just recently pulled the trigger.

I tried it today for the first time and I'm already in love. For my first attempt, I even used a traditional Italian pasta dough recipe (500 grams flour, 5 eggs) instead of adding water as Americans like to do. As I was kneading together the flour and eggs, it seemed way too dry but eventually it did form a really nice dough.

It seems like something that would be easy to use, and it is, but I had to watch a YouTube video to figure out how to use it. Right around the 3 minute mark is where I think the video becomes most helpful. I promise these two kids in the video know what they're doing.

I was anxious to try the two cutters on the pasta machine too, so I made a batch of spaghetti and fettuccine as well. The pasta maker greatly speeds up the process of making fresh pasta, however the entire process is definitely still somewhat time consuming and best left for weekend meals.

March 11, 2012

For dessert tonight, I made a recipe I saw in a Dole magazine ad. Pineapple upside-down cake is one of my favorites, and I loved the idea of making it in individual sized portions.

It's a bit more difficult than making a regular cake, but it doesn't take too long to portion out each mini cake. Be sure to push the cherry through the pineapple in order for it to be visible when you flip the pan.

The original recipe said to add 1/4 cup of cake batter to each muffin cup which was way too much. The batter was even with the top of the muffin cup before baking, when it should really only be about 2/3 full.

My second muffin pan recently bit the dust, so I used my mini muffin pan instead. Not sure what this version would be called...mini mini cakes? I really liked the bite size version but half a cherry was a bit too much for this miniature treat.

I had never heard of putting whipped cream on pineapple upside-down cake until a friend told me that's how she serves it. Sure enough, whipped cream tastes great with this cake.

Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

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Ingredients (24 servings)

1/3 cup butter, melted

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

20 oz crushed pineapple, drained

12 maraschino cherries, cut in half

1 package yellow or pineapple cake mix (plus eggs, oil and water as called for in the package directions)

In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and brown sugar. Then evenly divide the mixture into 24 muffins cups (approximately 1 teaspoon each).

Next divide the drained pineapple over the sugar mixture (approximately 2 teaspoons each - a small cookie scoop works well). Then place cherries in the center, sliced side up, pushing each down through the pineapple.

Prepare cake mix according to package directions, then spoon over pineapple, filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Loosen edges and invert onto cookie sheets by placing a cookie sheet flush against the muffin pan and then flipping it.

March 10, 2012

This bruschetta is a quick and tasty appetizer. With a jar of roasted red peppers, a package of goat cheese, and a baguette on hand, you can serve this within 10 minutes.

I like making appetizers on weekends because it feels a bit like dining out. We rarely eat out because it's typically more expensive and less healthy than eating at home, which is hard because Milwaukee has some great restaurants.

I've also found that having a cocktail with appetizers makes it feel more like a restaurant experience :) Tonight I enjoyed a cosmopolitan, and was reminded of a favorite line from Sex and the City..."why did we ever stop drinking these?"

If I had fresh basil right now, I would have topped each baguette slice with it. The summer growing season can't come quickly enough!

Seeing Apple Pie Bites pinned on Pinterest reminded me of the Apple Pie Cookies I made last fall. The idea is really similar, but the bites are easier to make. I prefer pears to apples, which got me thinking about a Pear Tart that I like to make and the result was delicious pear pie bites.

Have you ever had pear pie? I think it's a shame that apple is more popular because pear pie is so good. The one and only place I have ever had it is at my grandma's house. I assume that she makes it because she has a pear tree, and it is a fantastic use of pears.

Once you've made (or puchased) the pie crust, this recipe comes together really quickly. Roll out one pie crust, cut into 2" strips, and then into 4" wide sections. Mix the sliced pears, lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar. Add a couple pear slices to each section of dough, roll it up and sprinkle more cinnamon and sugar on top.

If you prefer less crust, cut the strips into a 1" width and then pear will be exposed on each side. I love pie crust, so I prefer a heavy crust to filling ratio :)

Pear Pie Bites

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Ingredients (makes 24)

1 pie crust

1 ripe but firm pear, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

Instructions

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out one pie crust, and cut into 2-inch strips. Then into 4-inch sections.

In a small bowl, combine the sliced pears and then lemon juice. Then combine the cinnamon and sugar, reserving one tablespoon of the mixture, and stir in with the pears.

Place a couple pear slices in pie crust section and roll it up. After each section is rolled, sprinkle the remaining cinnamon and sugar on the top of each.

Then move each pear bite to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 11 minutes. These are best served warm. Microwave leftovers for 20 seconds each.

March 07, 2012

We've been trying quite a few Trader Joe's items lately, and discovered tonight that their vegetable samosas are fantastic! For dipping, we had mango chutney and a cilantro dipping sauce I made.

In the past, we've always purchased samosas dipping sauces from an Indian grocery store. This time, I looked to the internet for a dipping sauce recipe and found that cilantro sauces are traditional accompaniements to Indian samosas.

Chris and I both loved the cilantro sauce that I made tonight, and the mango chutney was also great with the samosas. The cilantro sauce is really easy to make, and has a great complex flavor. I should point out that cilantro is not my favorite, but I still really liked this dipping sauce.

March 03, 2012

Everyone needs a favorite banana bread recipe, assuming that everyone else sometimes lets bananas get too ripe like we do :) My favorite recipe comes from Simply Recipes, with the only change being that I add walnuts.

March 02, 2012

Martha Stewart recipes rarely fail to impress, and the treat I made this evening was no exception. In fact, they were so good that I froze 2/3 of the muffins to stop myself from eating them all in rapid succession.

The original recipe calls for the entire muffin to be coated in cinnamon and sugar, however after trying a couple, I found it was too sweet for my preference. In fact, I really like this muffin without any coating at all, especially hot straight out of the oven.

I used my favorite Reynolds Stay-Brite muffin liners, which are ideal for this recipe because the liners easily remove from the muffins. You don't even need to peel the liner, just flip it over and the muffin falls out. Dip the top in melted butter, then in the cinnamon and sugar mixture, and finally return the muffin to the liner.

In a small bowl, whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Then with mixer on a low speed, add flour mixture alternating with the pumpkin mixture, mixing until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add approximately a 1/4 cup batter to each muffin cup (I use a large Oxo cookie scoop). Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let muffins cool 10 minutes in the pan, on a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Then melt butter in another small bowl (that's big enough to dip the muffins into). After muffins have cooled, dip the top in melted butter and then cinnamon and sugar. Serve warm.

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